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Leaving Anabaptism
From Evangelical
Mennonite Brethren to
Fellowship of Evangelical Bible Churches
Comment: “A challenge to church
bodies that feel rejection of Anabaptist-Mennonite
teachings is essential for growth. Redekop shows that a
strong self-conscious identity is essential to forward
movement.” —Katie Funk Wiebe, Professor
Emeritus, Tabor College, Hillsboro, Kansas
“A fascinating mixture of historical narrative,
sociological, analysis, and moral passion. Through it
runs a theme of irony and a sober warning. Redekop’s
story of the Evangelical Mennonite Brethren shows that
church revitalization can come at the high cost of losing
original core values.” —James C. Juhnke,
Professor of History, Bethel (Kan.) College
“Redekop skillfully combines sociological
analysis and the historical narrative of this small group
to make its story archetypal of many Christian reform
movements.” —Paul Toews, Professor of
History, Fresno (Calif.) Pacific University, in the
Foreword
“Redekop’s masterful treatment of the story
of how and why this group abandoned its Anabaptist
commitments becomes a valuable case study of small reform
movements that lose their way while seeking to survive in
the marketplace of American religion.” —William
Vance Trollinger, Jr., Associate Professor of History,
University of Dayton (Oh.)
Summary: Blending storytelling with
detailed sociohistorical analysis, this unique case study
examines how, over a century, a religious group found
itself “leaving Anabaptism.” The author,
himself raised among the Evangelical Mennonite Brethren
(EMB) whose story he tells, argues for such an
understanding of the EMB transformation into the
Fellowship of Evangelical Bible Churches (FEBC).
Classification:
Anabaptists—theology and history of; Mennonites;
Evangelical Mennonite Brethren; Fellowship of Evangelical
Bible Churches; North American Protestantism,
evangelicalism, fundamentalism.
The Author:
Sociologist Calvin W. Redekop, Harrisonburg, Virginia,
has taught at Conrad Grebel College (Ontario) and Goshen
(Ind.) College. Among his many publications are Mennonite
Entrepreneurs (Johns Hopkins, 1995) and Entrepreneurs
in the Faith Community. (Herald Press, 1996,
co-edited with Benjamin Redekop)
Available: September 30, 1998
Pages: 268
Price: $19.99 (U.S.); 29.00 (Can.)
Format: 6 x 9 trade paper
ISBN: 0-9665021-0-8
LOC: 98-28701
Leaving Anabaptism orders:
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